Acting resources

Shawn Philip Nelson

Shawn Philip Nelson

Veteran
Monologues:
Colin's Movie Monologue Page
(monologues from movies)
http://www.whysanity.net/monos/

Non-movie monologues
(though a few movie ones sneak in, mostly not from movies)
http://www.actorpoint.com/free_monologues/

Classic Monologues
http://www.theatrehistory.com/plays/monologues.html

Monologues for Teens and Kids
http://www.ispgroupinc.com/monologues/monologues_for_kids_and_teens.htm

Audition Tips:
Auditioning 101
(the basics, everyone should know this)
http://www.bethsepkocasting.com/auditiontips

On Camera Acting Audition Tips
(AMAZING tips from Lori S. Wyman CSA)
http://www.expertvillage.com/video-series/1231_auditioning-oncamera.htm

Actor to Actor Reviewing:
http://actingshowcase.com

Books:
Sanford Meisner on Acting
(BEST acting book, changed me both as an actor and as a director)
http://www.amazon.com/Sanford-Meisner-Acting/dp/0394750594/

On Method Acting
http://www.amazon.com/Method-Acting-Edward-Dwight-Easty/dp/0804105227/1

No Acting Please
http://www.amazon.com/No-Acting-Please-Eric-Morris/dp/096297093X/

The Art of Film Acting
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Film-Acting-Actors-Directors/dp/0240805070/

Plays:
http://www.samuelfrench.com/

http://www.dramatists.com/

Regional Resources:
Atlanta
www.love2act.com

Oregon
http://www.oregonmedianetwork.org/
 
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I'd be careful about any internet databases for monologues. Reliability becomes an issue.

Mind if we also list published books?
 
Sanford Meisner on Acting is a great book. I've heard it's hard to get fully into the Meisner technique if you weren't actually taking classes from the guy.
 
Tom Marshall said:
Sanford Meisner on Acting is a great book. I've heard it's hard to get fully into the Meisner technique if you weren't actually taking classes from the guy.
Click to expand...

But the legacy continues. For instance, my wife (who's an actress), is currently learning Meisner from a lady who studied under Meisner himself for 2 or 3 years.
 
Harold Guskin's "How To Stop Acting" is great.

I also picked up a lot of great stuff from Judith Weston's "Directing Actors" even though it's aimed at directors. She's an actor too, which pretty much explains it.
 
shawneous said:
But the legacy continues. For instance, my wife (who's an actress), is currently learning Meisner from a lady who studied under Meisner himself for 2 or 3 years.
Click to expand...

That's really cool. It's great when you can get acting coaching from someone who taught from a master teacher.

Same thing with Stella Adler and why she was such a great teacher. She's the only (known) actor who actually studied with Stanislavski in Paris.

I'd love to find a great acting coach here in Los Angeles who studied with Stella and, at the same time, is a great coach.
 
Ted Spencer said:
Harold Guskin's "How To Stop Acting" is great.

I also picked up a lot of great stuff from Judith Weston's "Directing Actors" even though it's aimed at directors. She's an actor too, which pretty much explains it.
Click to expand...

I was watching Johhny Depp on "Inside the Actor's Studio" (for the 400th time. :)) and he recommends 2 books that I have. One is "On Method Acting" and the other is "No Acting Please". I'm at work right now and can't get the author's names for you. I know one of them is by Eric Morris.

Speaking of which, Shawn, can you add those 2 books to your list?
 
Tom Marshall said:
That's really cool. It's great when you can get acting coaching from someone who taught from a master teacher.

Same thing with Stella Adler and why she was such a great teacher. She's the only (known) actor who actually studied with Stanislavski in Paris.

I'd love to find a great acting coach here in Los Angeles who studied with Stella and, at the same time, is a great coach.
Click to expand...

Well, unfortunately for you she's over here on the right coast, but Valerie Kingston (coach and teacher) studied with both Adler and Uta Hagen. She's great.
 
My favorite book out of the half dozen I've read is "Audition" by Michael Shurtleff. I haven't read the Meisner book yet, but I plan to check it out.
 
Online casting services:

http://nowcasting.com/indexsplash.html

http://lacasting.com/la_home.asp

http://www.casting-call.us

http://actorsaccess.com

http://extrasaccess.com

http://www.onlocationcasting.net/


ALSO... as a director/producer, I am going to break down my experiences with each of these services. What may be the "easiest" or most convenient service for the ACTOR may not be for the person trying to find you. If it's easy for you and hard for US, we'll give up and you'll go unseen.

So... those reviews to come.
 
shawneous said:
But the legacy continues. For instance, my wife (who's an actress), is currently learning Meisner from a lady who studied under Meisner himself for 2 or 3 years.
Click to expand...

I studied a bunch in New York and then when I moved to Boston I studied Meisner for 2 years. Studying Meisner was completely another level for me and really taught me how to relax, focus in a scene and react. I can't recommend the Meisner book enough.

All the Stanislavski based methods have something to offer though and people should check out the different philosophies and just try one. IMO, It will also make you a much better director if you are a film maker.
 
Wonderful!

I'm in the process of locating a Meisner coach in my area. Audition by Michael Shurtleff is really good. Most of the books listed here are wonderful, but let's not forget one of the most fun resource there is...movies!

I also recommend a book called "The Art of Film Acting" by Jeremiah Comey.

Best wishes to all you thespians out there!
 
Acting in Film by Michael Caine is a cool book too. They made a video of a workshop that Caine did. I'm going to post the video from youtube in a seperate thread...
 
Oh yes, that's a great book too. The youtube clips are great, except when you get to the 3rd and on clip, the sound is out of sync.
 
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